Sweet Sorrow
by Wasp9000
Summary: Hank and Jan love each other, but neither one can admit it. But, when they end up alone in a strange other world together, they might have to. Especially when the fate of their friends and the entire world is on their shoulders. Join this dynamic duo in the adventure of a lifetime! Three parts, many chapters, good story, suck at summaries, plz read! :
1. Chapter 1

_**I'm back, and I brought an early Christmas present for you all!(: I was so happy about the positive reviews on my last Fan Fictions, I've decided to step it up a bit with another. I still have all of my activities, sports, school programs, social life, and school itself in the way, haha, but I will keep up with this as best as I can. To insure this, I will be updating regularly (hopefully **__**at least **__**once a week,) with short, but action packed chapters. I will write them to their fullest potentials and try to keep you on the edge of your seats!(: These shorter, more detailed chapters will hopefully be enough to peak your interests, but allow me to keep my life in check as well. I have been considering this for a while, so, this multi-part story will be very lengthy. I'd like to say thank you to all of my readers, supporters, and fellow writers for your criticism and inspiration! And finally, your feature presentation…(:**_

_**Disclaimer: Oh I never do this and almost forgot, I don't own any of the characters mentioned (so far,) or AEMH… I will one day though… Mwahahaha(;**_

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><p><strong>~To Respect it to Trust, to Trust is to Love, to Love is to Live ~<strong>

Janet Van Dyne walked through the deserted campus alone, taking in the all too familiar sites. She had been here so many times before, why did it seem so distant? The chilled autumn air blew softly against her face as she walked towards her destination. She looked around abruptly, keenly adapting to her surroundings. From the now bare trees, to the dimmed lights of the empty lecture halls, she couldn't help but feel somewhat empty inside.

The cheerful laughter of a young couple on a bench grabbed her attention, the two caressed softly and then shared a passionate kiss. Janet could not help but smile at the two as she passed. It at first surprised her that they were not away for the holiday visiting family or friends. But, here they were. The void set in her heart from the depressing surroundings was soon filled. After watching the two share a moment, Jan was reminded of why she was here in the first place.

She found herself approaching the large building in which the notorious Dr. Henry Pym resided. It was a welcome sight, for it had been at least a month since she last saw _him_ in person. Her heart fluttered like her delicate wings as she approached the door to his lab. Her mind raced, trying to elaborate on what to say, how to say it, and even how to reply. She never worried about being with Henry, but for some reason this time was different. She wanted to prove something to him, though she didn't know what! Perhaps it was to let him know that the Avengers need him… or as she sees it… she needs him. Her hand reached to knock on the door without thought, she usually just came right in, but this was different.

Two loud knocks echoed through the corridor. _In response, nothing_.

'_Figures' _she thought, then knocked again, "Hank, it's Jan, remember me?" she joked. _But still, nothing_, "this isn't funny, if you don't open up I'm coming in!" _Silence… _"Ok, have it your way," she said, shrinking as she did so.

She slipped through the keyhole gently, adjusting her outfit as she grew back to her normal size.

"Alright, now where are you at?" she smiled slightky, 'only Hank would get this caught up in his… work.' She saw some ants swarming around a ledge near the window and a small light flickering. 'Bingo.'

"Really Hank?" she smirked, looking over his work, "you made a matching helmet for an ant?" With hands on her hips, she strutted over to the miniaturized man. He continued welding away at the helmet, causing Jan to roll her eyes. "You know, most people would expect a man who can shrink to the size of an ant and then grow to the size of a building in a matter of seconds would be able to accurately hear someone who is _five feet away from them_!" She twitched slightly and then reached for the shrunken scientist, and placed him in the palm of her hand.

"What th- oh, hi Jan, how nice of you to stop by!" he smiled, jumping out of her hand and growing back to his normal height. Then, he noticed the crossed expression on her face and the hands residing on her hips. 'Uh oh, what did I do now?' he thought, mentally face palming. "Is something wrong?" he asked nonchalantly, picking up his lab coat from a nearby chair.

"Oh no, of course not, I just wanted to stop by is all," she said, stating the obviously… not so obvious.

"Well that is wonderful, how are you doing?" he said, looking away from her momentarily.

"Pretty good I guess, we…" she continued, but Hank didn't hear, all he could do was stare, he'd almost forgotten how much he'd missed her. He missed the way she reacted to things. He missed how perfectly her hair fell around her pale skin, accenting the piercing blue of her eyes. He missed the way her outfit managed to distinctly show off all of her… features. However, he missed most of all how her smile shined ever so brightly in the light of the room.

"Hank are you even listening?" Jan said, holding back a light blush as she assessed the situation.

"Oh," he cleared his throat, "yes of course, I'm sorry, you were saying?"

"No, no, enough about me, how are you?" she asked innocently. Noticing how handsome he looked, even with his currently uncombed hair.

"Well, I am good, just very busy." he said, scratching his back. "How are the Avengers?" he spat out, regretting him asking.

Jan winced mentally, noticing how much he didn't want to bring up the subject. "We are fine… we miss you though…" she looked down, hiding how much _she _really missed him.

"I miss you too.. I mean all of you.. I mean- as in the team…" he coughed slightly, "but now I have plenty of time for my research." She chuckled at this.

"Well, I suppose that means you have plenty of time for… other things as well?" she smiled, perking up slightly.

'That's the Jan I know,' he thought, smiling to himself.

"Yes Jan, I suppose I do."

"In that case, I was hoping that you would go grab lunch with me today, Hank! We can catch up and-" he stopped her there.

"Gee, Jan, I wish I could, but I have-"

'And there it is,' she thought, saddened

"So much work to do, I figured." she interrupted, lowering her head.

"Exactly, I'm truly sorry."

"It's ok Hank, I understand completely, I'm sure I should get back to the mansion now anyways." she turned for the door, holding back her anger and despair.

"Wait, you could stay around for a while, we can catch up while I do my work!" he said, plastering a smile on his face. God he hated to see her like that.

"Oh, that would be nice," she smiled pulling up a chair.

He laughed, and started into a conversation.

Hours past, and the two were still talking. They shared stories about the time they were apart, but mostly laughed over what times _they_ had shared.

"Hey, remember when Egghead "captured" me, and the whole time, you were terminating his files!" she laughed, looking over at him.

He laughed whole heartedly back, "you should've won an Oscar for that performance, especially the snarky things you said to him… priceless! I had to refrain from laughing and giving myself away! That was what, our fifteenth mission together?" He leaned back into his chair, sipping away at his coffee.

"I think you are right, that reminds me, did I ever tell you about the time that the team helped the Fantastic Four take down Dr. Doom?" she said, wiping her eyes.

"No, but Tony told me a bit about it," suddenly he frowned, "were you ok?"

"Yeah of course," her face fell, "why?"

"Well Dr. Doom kidnapped you for Christ's sake, aren't I allowed to worry about my own partner and former teammate?" he scooted around uncomfortably.

"You can, but you shouldn't!" she said, fixing her outfit to busy herself.

"Yes I should, that was awfully dangerous… you could've gotten hurt, or worse."

She frowned, "but I didn't, case closed."

"No, Jan, you really shouldn't have been-"

"What are you talking about? I'm an Avenger, I fight bad guys, it is what we do, remember?" She sighed.

"Yes of course, but I never have liked the thought of you risking your life when you don't have tom there are other ways! For example, I am going to India to help seal a peace agreement in a few weeks."

"India! Why the hell didn't you tell me about this? Who is funding this, don't you think I'd like to have know about this?" she yelled, standing up.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know I needed _your permission_. The United Nations is funding the trip and all of its expenses, and I never thought to tell you."

"Sorry? That's all you have to say for yourself, and my permission? I can't even fight my own battles for crying out loud, but it is a crime if I get mad at you for not telling me about going to freaking _India_!" she walked around angrily, "ugh, you drive me insane sometimes Hank!"

"I can't believe that you are getting worked up over something like this!" he said, "I just don't understand you sometimes!"

"Well understand this, I'm leaving now. Don't call, don't text, don't send your stupid bugs, and don't you dare show up anywhere near me. Goodbye, _Dr. Pym._"

"No, Jan, come on, Jan!" he called, "wait, don't- go." he sighed, pulling his face into his hands and resting on the wall. "What have I done?" he whispered, listening as rain began to fall against the windows.

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><p>Janet ran, she ran quickly down the halls and out the door into the cold evening air. She didn't even notice that the clouds were dark, gray, and full. No, all she knew was that she was hurting. It was a pain similar to what she experienced when her father passed. So she ran and collapsed on the park bench where the couple previously sat, drowning in her tears. She felt the cold rain as it began to fall on her skin, blending in with the warm tears drenching her cheeks. But she didn't care, all she could do was cry. 'I'm such a fool,' she thought, bringing her knees to her chest.<p>

Never was the brave young woman so vulnerable, so pained and weak. Little did she know, a strange being watched her as she mourned. It examined the heroine closely from the shadows it hid in, waiting for the right moment to move in.

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><p><em><strong>Oooh, I love cliffhangers… :p Jk, but you'll soon meet this strange "creature," and find out its intentions. You'll also hear from the other Avengers, a friend of Janet's (hint hint,) a lot more from a very distraught Hank, and a very angry Jan. That is all for now, so until next time, wasp9000 out, peace!(:<strong>_


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't own AEMH, Marvel, the characters, or Disney… That is all, enjoy!**

**~Changes~**

Warm, heavy tears mixed with the cool rain as they flowed down her chilled cheeks. The harsh wind whispered of the unwelcome winter into her ears. It was the last things she needed with all of her newfound sorrows. She felt as though she had been cursed, doomed to misery, hurt, and betrayal. Oh how it stung, the very thought of him struck her deep in the heart. 'Why?' she asked herself softly, 'why can't things work out for us, just once? It isn't fair, all that we've gone through, all that we've had leading up to our moment, and it disappears… just like that.' She sighed, leaning her head into her hands. Dazed in thought, she hadn't even noticed the heavy footsteps trudging through the snow behind her.

"Excuse me, miss, but are you alright?" asked someone from the shadows.

Startled by the sudden presence, Janet turned around to see who was addressing her. A tall man, with cropped black hair and green eyes looked down at her. He had a soft expression on his face, wearing an ever so soft smile on his pale face. He was a fairly well built young man, about her age (she guessed.) In fact, she found the stranger rather attractive. A smile crept onto her features.

"Ma'am?" he persisted softly.

"Oh yes, sorry, I'm… fine, thanks,' she looked away, hiding her pinkened cheeks.

"Well, no offense, but you certainly didn't look fine a few seconds ago." he laughed, taking a seat on the bench beside her.

"Well, I'm fine now at least," she put forward.

"What's on your mind Ms.-" he put on a quizzical expression and reached out a hand.

"Van Dyne, Janet Van Dyne, you can call me Jan though," she smiled, grabbing his hand. She was about to shake it, but he pulled it up to his lips and placed a soft kiss on it instead.

Smiling, he let go of her hand, "I'm Jake Saunders, it is a pleasure to meet you."

She giggled slightly, "same with you Jake."

"Now that we are properly acquainted, would you mind explaining to me what was wrong earlier?" he said, his voice now full of compassion.

Jan shuddered, uncertain as to if she should tell this handsome stranger about her personal life. She looked up at the office where Hank was probably continuing his so called work with a glare, 'Couldn't hurt.'

"Well, it is kind of a long story…"

"Start at the beginning," he said with a smirk.

So she did, she told him **everything**: from meeting Hank, to joining the Avengers, to the fight just a few moments ago. Snow was layering the ground around them, as they sat and continued talking.

"Wow, you sure have an… unusual life, sounds exciting! I'm very sorry about your boyfriend and you though."

She shot up, "um, boyfriend? Oh no, you see, Hank is definitely not my boyfriend. We are strictly on business terms and- ah- well we are not dating… nor were we ever." She looked up at the window once more to see his back to the place where they were standing, "just ask him," she spat bitterly.

Jake could clearly tell she was hurt, "hey cheer up, I can go knock some sense into him if you'd like."

Jan laughed, "I might take you up on that. So what is your story?"

"Not nearly as interesting as yours, I go to college here and work at a car shop nearby."

"Well, I think that is just great! What are you majoring in?" she asked, smiling at his remark.

"Vehicular Engineering."

"Wow, I bet you drive one swanky car," she heard him laugh, and she joined him.

"You know it, I fixed up a classic, light blue Porsche for myself," he smiled proudly, "it is almost as beautiful as a certain lady I just met."

Jan blushed once again, "Clever," she stood up, "I'd love to see this car, sounds like a piece of work to me."

"Well then, shall we?" he held out his arm, which she took pleasantly.

"Oh, we shall."

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><p>Hank had been watching this scene play out from the window for a while, blood boiling as this… Neanderthal tried to win over his girl- er um, Jan. 'Your losing it Hank,' he thought, 'you have to do something, and fast.' He watched as they turned and began to walk away… arm and arm. Hank had always cared for Jan, she was his best friend, maybe even more. What was he thinking, he didn't deserve her, she was everything! The thought of her made him shudder, she was the definition of perfect, therefore, she deserves nothing less. 'Certainly not that guy at least,' he thought watching the two people leave the campus. 'That is it, I'm going to go take care of this, right now!'<p>

Hank stormed out the door, grabbing his helmet as he did so. Little did he know, he was about to receive much more than what he had bargained for.

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><p><em><strong>Finally, it is nice to have time to write for once. Sorry about the short chapter, but two more are on their way very soon… suspense is building. Thanks to all who review, please continue to do so, I really enjoy your opinions and ideas! I'm out of things to say now, see you all soon!(; (Oh, and btw, the next chapter will be longer, and you'll see a lot more of Hank!) -Wasp9000~<strong>_


	3. Chapter 3

_**~To Take It Upon Yourself~**_

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><p>Stomping onward, Dr. Henry Pym let his white lab coat drag through the muddy, wet ground that made up the college's courtyard. For once in his life he knew, <em>for a fact<em>, that his research wasn't the only thing that he needed to devote his time to. He had always known what he felt for Jan was real, but he had never before seen how real. Not to mention, the few times he had admitted out loud how he felt for Jan, one of them was either out cold, or fading fast. His greatest fear had always been losing her, he _never_ wanted to have to see her go, not like Maria. Jan was like his late wife in every way, but his goal in life was to prevent their fates from being the same. Why else would he have been trying to keep Jan out of the field all of this time… he didn't want to see her get hurt, or worse. She was his world, and Hank Pym knew that a world without science wouldn't even come close to a world without Jan.

_That was it. _

He was in love, Hank Pym was most definitely, in love. Until now he had always thought that if he kept her out of harms way, he'd never have to lose the love of his life. Hank had always assumed that his time could be spent on his research and his affections on Jan, but he was wrong. Janet was absolutely beautiful, everything about her simply glowed. Images of her danced through his head each time his eyes locked with her form. She deserved all that he could give, especially his time. Damn it, why had he never noticed before that she could obtain any man she wanted, one that was more attractive, more financially inclined. Or had he, was he that distracted by his lousy work that he had lacked to notice his own _personal_ discoveries? He _was _in love with Maria as a very young man, he _is _in love with Jan now, as a grown man. This love was even more prominent than he had ever been able to calculate, there was no plausible way of solving love. Yes, the one thing the Scientist Supreme truly would never understand, is love. Sure, he recognized it, felt it, and assessed it as any human being would do, but he had never understood it. 'Jan understands it,' he thought, 'she understands it to its peak. I have always been too blind to take the time to investigate _our _feelings, why was I so foolish that I chose to neglect them rather than my research?' He silently cursed at himself as he realized what he needed to do, what he had always needed to do…. That is, if he ever gets the chance to be within a mile of Jan to do so. Many more thoughts began to flood his head, his mind becoming ever so clouded with extreme emotions and desires. Goal number one, however, was to get _his _girl back from that _Neanderthal. _Nonetheless if he could ever find them.

He saw the car pull out of the lot and drive away. Hank quickly summoned an ant and commanded it to follow the pair, at a distance at least. You wouldn't expect a man two inches tall to get caught spying from the back of an ant, but you'd never expect the keen eye of Janet Van Dyne to have trained itself to recognize it either. Hank's mind drifted once again as he vanished into the distance, trailing slightly behind the shiny, new car cruising down the busy highway.

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><p>Jan leaned further into the breeze coming from the open window. The bright blue Porsche smelt of lavender and rain, a rather fitting scent for a day such as this. She smiled widely and sunk back into the seat.<p>

"You really didn't need to do this you know, I could've flown my way home or grabbed a taxi. It means a lot, given how foolish I must've looked in the given situation." Thoughts had been stinging her mind since the incident with Hank, the strong emotions threatening to break through once more never seemed to cease. She was honestly about ready to break down right now, but she was too proud, she'd rather not embarrass herself in front of such a… suitable young man. Her mind was far too conflicted and dazed to even remember how she had come to agree to this ride in the first place.

"It was absolutely not a problem, I am honored to have had the opportunity to escort you back to the mansion," he said in a gentlemanly tone, causing her to giggle under her breath, "So, tell me about the Avengers." She saw him flash a genuine smile toward her, causing her mind to relax some.

'Avenger business always cheers me up,' she thought as she began to explain her relationship with each of her teammates and their adventures.

"Well, you see, we are more like a family than a team. Cap, er- Captain America is a very close friend of mine, ever since we thawed him out that is." She laughed before continuing, "He is really just a great guy in every way, he has been a little strange lately, but that is to be expected, I mean, the guy is like 100 years old technically. No matter what though, you can trust in his decisions and know that he'll always have your back! Tony hooked him up with this fancy energy-shield just this week actually. Speaking of which, Anthony Stark, or as everyone else calls him, Tony, is Iron Man. He is a total techie genius and really knows his way around weapons. Behind the armor though, he really isn't that different from anyone else… minus the whole billionaire, playboy, philanthropist thing. He is genuinely considerate and proves to be a great leader, most of the time at least! Then we have Thor! I can't say enough about that loveable hunk, he is best described as friendly, but he acts before he thinks sometimes, haha. He is always just so sweet and protective of those that he loves, especially his team. Anyways, next we have Hawkeye, he can be a little stuck up shallow at first, but once you get to know him… You'll love him. He is not only hilarious, forgiving, and thoughtful, but he is really brave and fun to be around.. He always has our backs when we need him to, and he never backs down for anything. Sure he might drive you nuts at times, but Hulk, Clint, and I are the team's troublemakers, it's what we do. I've been trying to keep these short, but it isn't working very well is it? Oh well, next we have Hulk, this guy is awesome! Sure he looks scary and all, but he is really a great guy. He protects his team very well, he is really a great hero, and he is even more hilarious than Clint! Not me though… Any-who, he may be a big, green, mass-o-muscle, but he is also a great friend and an even better teammate. He is like the big brother I never had… but green… Finally, we have T'challa. Black Panther is kind of shady at times, but he really is a great guy all around. He is tough like the others, skilled at everything, realllllyyyy smart, and super sneaky. Behind all of that, though, is a sweet man, who aims only to look out for the best of his people and his team. I respect him a lot for that." She sighed, hoping he wouldn't say anything about, 'you know who.'

"Well, that sums it up without taking an hour out of your life to go into detail, sooo…. Yepp…" She was about to ask him some questions when she was interrupted from her thoughts by another question, one that brought back the horrible conflict erupting in her mind.

"What of Giant-man/ Ant-man… or… whatever it is you call him?" He stopped her once more, "if you don't mind me asking of course."

"No, it is fine, really. Hank is, well- Hank is… different from everyone else I've ever known, and not just on the team. He is a complete genius, all about insects, you know? He is really just a brilliant biochemist, insectologist, etc. He is also a mega pacifist, you see, he never likes to hit the bad guys, just to talk to them.. He thinks that it'll help the world: rehabilitate super villains and stop crime. What he doesn't understand, is that not all of them can be helped. Some of them are just naturally awful people, he needs to understand that words can do damage too. I worry that one day," she paused, biting her lip unintentionally, "one day he'll trust them too much. One day, something will go horribly wrong and- and- I don't even know what will happen." SHe looked out the window abruptly.

"To tell the truth, I know that he knows that he is a great scientist and peace keeper. I just wish he'd realize that he is an even better Avenger. He has saved all of our lives multiple times, he has contributed so much to the team, not all by fighting either! He is great at that too, but just by being there… when he is there, it feels- right." Janet twirled her hair and held back a tear.

"We have known each other for the longest time, you know? It seems hard to believe that I could be so foolish as to mess it up."

"Come now, you can't really be blaming yourself for this all, can you? That man is scum, filthy, rotten scum. You deserve so much more than him, sure he sounds great and all, but after what he said to you, he deserves to experience all of Hell's furies." Jan gasped slightly, unintentionally holding back a punch to her newfound friend's face.

"I am sorry, it is just you were so upset, I had never realized that you cared so much for him is all. I hope you can forgive me, but after what he said to you, I can't help but wonder what you see in him."

Jan smiled at him, fakely… but she still smiled. "It is totally understandable, I guess I shouldn't blame myself so much, huh?" He nodded slowly, smiling with a sinister twinkle in his eyes. This put Jan on edge, it caused her to wonder what he was playing at here. She knew she could take him on if she had to… she shouldn't have to worry. Also, she wasn't dumb, sure, she plays dumb sometimes, but who doesn't? She really is very intelligent, as one could see from her Kang experiences. Something was up, and Jan didn't want to stick around and find out what. Avengers Mansion had come into sight, 'that's a relief,' she thought, wiping a bead of sweat off of her face, 'at least he isn't going to rape me.' She looked over at the man now, the smile remained, but the twinkle in his eye appeared as more than sinister now… it was deranged. 'At least not yet, come on, come on, please pull in.' She had invested her trust into a man she had just met, all of those lectures from dad obviously never paid off. Especially since he knows all about her and her relations with the team now. 'Why was I so stupid, this is crazy, I had only known him for five minutes and I got into his freaking car and told him my life story… willingly!'

"Here we are!" Boomed a cheerful voice from the drivers seat, Jan looked around… she was home!

"Thank you so much for everything, Jake. It really was swell of you to hook me up like this!" she pulled twenty dollars from her pocket, "here, it is the least I can do, it should cover gas and-"

"It is really alright, Ms. Van Dyne," he shut down the money, instead taking her hand and kissing it softly. "Please, it was a pleasure on my part."

"At least let me take you inside for a proper snack or drink." she offered, hoping for a declination.

"No thank you," he paused, but just as Jan was about to silently sigh in relief, "but, I would appreciate a call from you at some point, I'd love to take you out once more." He smiled brightly, handing her his phone number, "goodbye beautiful, until next time." He waved as he pulled out of the front of the mansion, leaving a blushing Janet to simply wave in return.

'Maybe I was wrong…' she questioned as she put the number into her blackberry and entered the gates.

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><p>Hank had heard it all, the happy small talk, then the flustered and emotionally dazed Janet's description of him, and then… the maniacal rant of that… fiend. 'How dare he!' Hank slowly flew to the entrance of the Mansion, but stopped short, abruptly considering Jan's words… 'did she mean that?' Some of what she said may have been flustered by the frequencies on his helmet- 'no… she meant it.' He was shocked, Jan really did feel the same way about him. She even worried about him as he did for her! 'Oh yes, she doesn't completely hate me! But how will she react, she'll put on a show, that's for sure. And if I confront her upright, she'll scold me for spying on her… lose- lose situations follow me, don't they?'<p>

Hank breathed deeply, reaching for the door of Avengers Mansion, waiting to hear JARVIS greet him, waiting for the Avengers to confront him, waiting for _Jan _to punish him… but he deserved this, and in the end, it is all worth it.

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><p><strong>ANNNNDDDD, MORE CLIFFHANGERS! MWAHAHAHAHAHA! PM, REVIEW, FAVORITE, AND DON'T FORGET TO CORRECT MY MISTAKES. LOL, SERIOUSLY THOUGH, I AM SOOOO SORRY IT TOOK SOOO LONG TO UPDATE, BUSY WITH… LIFE AND ALL… ANYHOW, FASTER UPDATES ARE HERE, YAY! EXPECT ONE, SAYYY…. TOMORROW! NO JOKE, I PROMISE!(:<strong>

_**~WASP9000**__** out, peace! ~**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**The Ties That Bind**_

Hank Pym braced himself from the oncoming storm, curious as to whether or not he should just turn around now. 'No, I'm not going to back away from this, not now.' He felt as his hand slowly began to open the large doors of Avengers Mansion.

"Greetings sir, and welcome back." JARVIS stated, as expected. Hank simply smiled and thanked the AI system as he stepped inside. He had almost forgotten the sight of the massive Foyer before him.

"Pym! Bout' time you showed up around here," Clint came up beside him, clocking him on the shoulder playfully, it was nice to see a welcoming face. "It's been weeks, man, what have you been up to?"

Hank smiled brightly, "Research, meetings… research. More or less the same as always, but what about you, Clint?"

"Fighting, kicking ass, annoying the shit out of Stark… Did I mention kicking ass?" He smiled genuinely, "Seriously though, the Avengers have kept me pretty busy, it's not the same without you and Thor, of course, but we get work done. Especially me, I mean, I don't want to brag or nothin' but-"

"Clint, all you do is brag," Hank laughed, soon joined by Hawkeye. The man was in his 'civies' for once, a comfortable sight for a man who hasn't been in the field for a while. Hank felt himself being pushed into the living room to where, he could only assume, the other Avengers were waiting.

"Come on, the guys will be thrilled to know that you are back." Hank was about to speak up when he heard a familiar, low growl erupt from the enormous, green man in front of him.

"Hmph, look who came crawling back. Told ya' fighting is fun, couldn't stay away, could yah?" Hulk grinned up from his place on the sofa. "Or did you decide to stick around for your _girlfriend_." He laughed loudly, soon joined by Clint.

"I don't know how long I'll be staying around actually, I have some important work to attend to. And although Janet is not my girlfriend, I am here to see her. Would you happen to know where she is?" Hank asked, watching carefully as his two former teammates' faces fell.

"Seriously? I thought that you'd be around for good this time, Pym?" Clint sighed.

"Anyways, we know where she is at, might not want to interrupt though… I have a feeling that you'll get a face full of fist," Hulk growled slightly, "Can we assume that you might've had somethin' to do with this, bug boy?"

Hank lowered his head slightly and Clint took note of that right away. "Geez, what happened this time?" Hank was about to respond, when Clint added to his statement. "Wait, lemme guess, you blew her off again, or oh, I know, you were being overprotective. Man, you really fucked this one up, she looked like she was ready to pounce as soon as she stepped in the door. Funny thing is, she pulled in with some guy… Jealous there, aye Pym?" Hank stopped him there.

"I get it, Clint, I messed up… And to answer your question, yes, I am. That man you saw her show up with today is scum, he is up to absolutely no good. I heard the conversation that they were having, something about him isn't right." He turned his head towards the window, eyes like daggers, "Not at all."

Shocked by the tone of the normally peaceful scientist, the men in the room had not noticed the armored avenger approaching the scene.

"Hank?" Tony questioned, "What are you doing here, is everything alright? Wait, don't answer that." Hank felt a hand on his shoulder. "Can we talk about something," he looked towards the others, "in private." The others slowly made their ways out of the room, Tony directed his full attention to Hank.

"And what is this about exactly?" Hank asked, turning to his friend.

"Jan, actually, I had an interesting confrontation with her a bit ago." Tony stated, pulling Hank towards the couch. "Mind telling me what happened?"

"As if you don't already know Tony, it is drastically clear that she told you everything." Hank shifted uncomfortably, "and yes, this is all my fault."

"Interesting, she had been saying the same thing," Tony watched as the scientist's brow perked up.

"Why would she ever blame herself, I was absolutely unfair to act as I did, I've never felt so ashamed in myself."

"Because, Hank, she is Jan…" he trailed off for a moment, "I think both of you are overreacting, this is obviously just another sign that you two need to hook up already." Hank's eyes rolled, causing Tony to throw his arms up in defense, "I'm serious!"

"Tony, it isn't that simple. Jan is-" he sighed, "Jan is- she _deserves_ more than just me."

"Well, she _wants _you, Hank, it is obvious that you both need to take the next step." Hank raised a careful eyebrow, causing Tony to sigh indefinitely, "and you; of all people, know what I mean…"

"Yes, Tony, I do, but that doesn't mean I have to agree with you. Jan deserves someone special, someone that I will never be, and certainly not someone like the excuse for a man she came here with." Hank mumbled the last part a bit, but Tony didn't miss a thing, smirking at him with an eyebrow raised. Hank just shrugged him off and continued, "But that's beside the point, I need to apologize to her, we need to talk this out and-"

"Yeah, good luck with that, I don't know how Cap and T'challa have lasted as long as they have…"

"As I was saying, this is my fault and I need to fix it. I know that she is mad at me… well beyond that most likely, but I'm taking my chances here, a broken arm or two is worth it. As long as I can try and gain her forgiveness, I'll be happy… Although I don't deserve it." He sighed slightly, about to make his departure, when Tony caught his shoulder.

"It'll be okay, trust me, you two need each other," he smiled genuinely, "good luck, genius." Hank smiled at him before stalking off towards the elevator, anticipating the sights that awaited him."

* * *

><p>Janet panted heavily, throwing yet another strong punch at the target in front of her. A few kicks and some more swift punches followed, eventually leading to an angry growl and a high powered bio-blast in the robotic figure's head. She grunted, furiously throwing herself to the ground. She had finally broken… after destroying most of the training room's punching bags and practice levels. She kneeled down, sobbing into her hands gently. She felt the salty tears roll down her face and land on her gym clothes and patch gloves.<p>

All this time she had regret to notice Steve and T'challa hadn't left with Tony after all. The two men rose from their places in the corner and approached the girl. Neither man was used to seeing her a vulnerable as she looked now. T'challa placed a gentle hand on her back, patting it gently, as Cap let her lean into him and sob. This wasn't a sight he was initially prepared for, but he accepted it and helped the Panther comfort the woman. The pair watched as she stood and wiped away some final tears, trying to etch out a smile.

"Thanks guys, I'm sorry that you had to see that, I'm not usually one to break down." She sniffled, pulling herself together and giggling slightly, "bet I look pretty foolish right now…"

"Not at all," the Wakandan said softly, "you look like a warrior to me, one whom has experienced much, but kept it all hidden. Janet, you must not treat yourself in this fashion, things will play out as they have been willed to. You are strong, so you will pull through and relinquish what troubles you. Something tells me that Doctor Pym will-"

"Will what, T'challa, see the error of his ways and come to set things right once again?" she said in a mocking tone, "it isn't like it'll change anything, he doesn't see things like I do." Sighing, she stood and moved over towards the training dummy, "he never will…"

"I don't know about that, Jan, he is a very intelligent man, I'm sure that he will figure things out soon enough. Like T'challa had said, you are strong, probably far stronger than I, you can certainly handle this… so can Henry Pym." He placed a hand on her shoulder, turning her to face him. "Give this another chance, everything will change, in time." He smiled, "now, how about we get back to training?"

Jan perked up, "you're sooo on!"

The three heroes headed towards the control panel, pulling the boxing ring out and a fresh set of punching bags. Just as soon as they had started, however, the elevator landed on their level, revealing none other than-

"Hank? This better be good! Have you come to announce your resignation again, or are you just here to extend our 'discussion' from earlier?" She spat out, fuming as her hands began to glow their usual fluorescent yellow. She watched as he stepped forward, hands out, striding silently towards her, she finally snapped, "What do you want?" She breathed heavily, "I take that back, I don't want to know, just get out of here."

'It isn't like you want to be here anyways,' she thought, shrinking down and flying off towards the door. A lone tear streamed down her face, 'what am I doing, I'm making myself look completely stupid. I'm the freaking Wasp, I face my problems, not run away from them.' Just as she was about to turn back towards the door, she felt a familiar hand gently grasp her wasp like form.

"Jan, please." he stopped, "I know that you don't want to, and I really don't blame you… at all, but just hear me out, okay?" He sighed, letting go of her and pulling his finger towards her miniscule hand, grasping it in a sense.

She turned to look at him, eyes still red from the tears she's shed. His eyes sparkled, showing genuine concern and regret. She'd give anything to look into those eyes all day. 'Snap out of it, Jan.'

"Fine…" her voice was shaky. Something he really didn't like coming from her. She was stronger than this, he has always know that.

Hank, however, was thinking the same thing, her blue eyes had dragged him in. The dried tears that graced her face shocked him, he wasn't used to seeing her like this. Amazingly enough, her wet eyes seemed to sparkle (more than usual,) in the light of the room. She was glowing, and it was almost too much for Hank's sore eyes. He wished he could pull her in, kiss her passionately, and admit the love he's felt for so long. 'No, not now, I have to make things right first. Who am I kidding, I don't deserve her.' He sighed, and opened his mouth to speak.

"Janet, I want you to know that I'm truly sorry. I didn't mean what I said, I just- I worry about you Jan… a lot. You mean a lot to me, and I don't want anything to happen to you. You have to understand that the way I acted was foolish, but it is only because I care." By now Jan had already grown back to normal height, Hank had grabbed her hand, and she had grabbed his back. "I don't expect you to forgive me or even talk to me ever again, but I really just needed you to hear what I had to say."

"Hank, I do forgive you, just don't think you're getting off too easy," she smiled, "come here." She hugged him, catching him off guard, but he gladly returned the embrace and patted her softly on the back.

"Thank you, Janet, really." he broke off and rubbed his arm slightly, "one more thing… That man you were with earlier, something seems… off about him."

"Hank…" she sighed, "don't start…"

"I am serious, Jan, he is up to no good and I don't want to see that affect you in any way. He seems overly infatuated in you, the way he looked at you.. and how he talked about-"

"Wait, how do you know about any of that?" she watched as he rubbed his back, about to answer her, when… "you were spying on me? Hank, I- why would you- ugh- I thought that you'd changed, that everything was fine, but now this! Why?" She had been yelling, turning away from him slowly and walking away.

"I was worried, when I saw him walk away with you… I just couldn't help it! I'm so, so sorry, Jan." He reached for her shoulder, "Please."

"What, Hank? What could I possibly say to any of this?" She exclaimed, brushing him off forcefully.

"That we can move on from this, go back to how things used to be."

"I don't think that's possible right now." She said quietly, "things change." She walked back into the training room, Hank not far behind.

"Jan…" he said, catching up to her and pulling her face to face with him. "I did it for your own good, I never meant for this to happen. You have to understand that." She was staring at him intently, realizing where he was going next. "Jan- I- I-" but before he could get the words out… _Crash! "_What the- Jan, get down!" Shoving her out of the way, an oncoming beam struck him in the chest.

"Hank!" she yelled, running to his side.

"I'm fine, come on, we have to get out of here." She helped him up, watching as he pulled out his ID card.

"You still have that? Miracle…" She said, causing him to roll his eyes and smile slightly, glad to see Jan was back to normal.

"Tony, we need help, we're in the gym. Avengers Assemble!" Just then, smoke filled the room and a figure appeared. Suddenly, Hank and Jan collapsed onto the ground. "This- _cough cough-_ this is knock-out gas." He coughed some more, "Jan, get out of- here."

"I'm not leaving you." She coughed out, gasping one last time before finally passing out. Hank was helpless to help her, he could only watch in horror as the figure dragged her away.

"No," he spoke out, "no, please… Jan…" then the darkness fell over him, and he could no longer hang on. A tear graced his cheek as he laid out alone and unconscious.

* * *

><p><strong>Sooooo sorry for the late update, my computer wasn't working at all. Expect normal updates once again, and some new stories as well, hehe. I love cliffhangers… or at least to write them!(: Until next time, review, pm, and favorite please! Peace out!(: (P.S. I'm not a big fan of this chapter, but I hope you feel differently...)<strong>

_**Wasp9000**_


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